In recent years, an image forming apparatus such as a printer has included an original document feeding apparatus which automatically feeds a sheet-like original document to an image scanning apparatus so that the image forming apparatus sequentially scans the original document. The original document feeding apparatus efficiently ensures image scanning and image forming, respectively.
The image scanning apparatus includes, for example, (i) an optical scanning apparatus provided in an apparatus main body and (ii) the original document feeding apparatus, provided at an upper part of the optical scanning apparatus, for feeding the original document to the optical scanning apparatus. The original document feeding apparatus is, for example, rotatably provided with respect to the optical scanning apparatus, and serves as an openable and closable original cover unit.
Both sides of the original document that is fed by the original document feeding apparatus can be scanned by the optical scanning apparatus and a contact image scanning sensor that is provided in the original document feeding apparatus, respectively. An original document, such as a book-like original document, which cannot be fed by the original document feeding apparatus is scanned in accordance with conventional ways. Namely, the original document is placed on a platen glass of the optical scanning apparatus, and the original document feeding apparatus is rotated so as to cover the original document—that is, the original document feeding apparatus functions as an original cover unit at this moment—, and then, the original document is scanned.
A progress in a digital technique demands a higher speed processing and larger volume on the image scanning apparatus. More specifically, the image scanning apparatus is required to carry out, faster, the scanning of the original document, the conversion into electronic data, or the image forming based on the electronic data. This causes the original document feeding apparatus to handle a larger number of original documents. Accordingly, a greatly larger number of original documents—for example, 100 through 200 sheets of the original documents—are set at a time in the original document feeding apparatus so that a larger number of original documents can be dealt with at a high speed. Also, a progress in the original document feeding apparatus of the image scanning apparatus allows the original document feeding apparatus to feed various types of original documents.
When a large number of sheet-like original documents that are to be fed are stacked, like bundle of original documents, on the original document feeding apparatus, the original documents are fed one by one from top to bottom of the bundle. This is because it is difficult to feed the original documents from bottom due to the weight of the bundle of the stacked original documents. When the height of the bundle changes in response to the feeding of the original documents, the height of a tray on which the original documents are stacked is controlled in accordance with the change of the height of the bundle. For this controlling, a motor (which serves as a drive source), a plurality of detectors, and the like, are provided in the original document feeding apparatus.
Therefore, in order to supply electric power to the original document feeding apparatus, the optical scanning apparatus and the original document feeding apparatus are connected with each other by an electric cable.
In a conventional art, when the optical scanning apparatus and the original document feeding apparatus are connected by the electric cable, the electric cable is disposed at the rear of the image forming apparatus so that the electric cable is hard to be seen by a user. This is because it is better in appearance for the electric cable to be disposed in an area where the electric cable is seen by the user to a least possible degree. Generally, the electric cable is disposed in an area where a hinge member is provided at the rear of the image forming apparatus.
For example, a connecting apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Tokukaihei 10-255456/1998 (published on Sep. 25, 1998) and a original cover of an image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Tokukai 2000-267206 (published on Sep. 29, 2000) are so arranged that an electric cable is placed at the rear of an apparatus main body as described above.
An electric cable is also provided at the rear of an apparatus main body in the form of a sheet-like electric cable, for example, in (i) a packaging structure of a connecting member in a hinge section,—the structure is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Tokukaihei 10-126943/1998 (published on May 15, 1998)—, and (ii) an electronic apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Tokukaihei 11-219232/1999 (published on Aug. 10, 1999).
However, there is a problem that the electric cable is easily damaged in cases where the electric cable is placed behind an original document feeding apparatus which is designed to be opened and closed from its front side.
That is, for example, in cases where a connecting is carried out so that the electric cable is placed in a direction orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the hinge, or so that the electric cable is provided in a looped and projecting manner, opening and closing operations cause the electric cable to receive bending stress. Therefore, the electric cable receives the bending stress that increases in proportion to the number of the opening and closing operations. This may cause a trouble, for example, such as a breaking of wire in the electric cable.